Sending and receiving digital goods through a service provider

ABSTRACT

A service facilitates purchases of digital goods in which the purchaser may receive the purchased goods or send them on to another person, e.g., as a gift or as a purchase made on another&#39;s behalf. The service may be needed in a situation where a buyer has made on online purchase of an item of digital goods but then finds that it is difficult to share or transfer the purchased goods due to copyright protection or digital rights management (DRM) protection. Using the service a purchaser may send digital goods after payment to the seller via the service in such a way that copyright protection and other digital goods rights are maintained. Embodiments include: communicating with a buyer and a seller as an intermediary; making payment via the intermediary for an item of digital goods; and making a delivery for the item via the intermediary for disposal by the buyer.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods andsystems for facilitating commerce and, more particularly, forfacilitating buying and sending digital goods, via a service provider,from a user of the service provider to be received by another, who mayalso be a user of the service provider.

2. Related Art

In today's media market, it is not at all uncommon to sell and deliverdigital content such as files, software, art, photographs, music, andmovies through a number of electronic sources. This is usually referredto as digital e-commerce or digital download delivery. Digital goods isa general term that may be used in e-commerce to refer to any goods thatare stored, delivered, or used electronically and may be used in avariety of industries, such as gaming, online content, and premiumvideo. Examples of digital goods include e-books, music files, games,video, news articles, media content, software, digital images, websitetemplates, manuals in electronic format, or any item which can beelectronically stored in a file or multiple files. People also purchasedigital goods in all sorts of online applications ranging from socialnetworking apps (applications) and games to massively multiplayer onlinegames. Some of the most popular items of these digital goods includevirtual goods such as virtual money and virtual weapons. Free-to-playgames, where one can start playing for free and then buy items in thegame as one needs them, also account for a large amount of virtual goodstransactions.

Digital goods may be delivered electronically to the consumer throughe-mail, for example, or by download from the Internet. Usually whenpurchasing digital goods online, after the merchant has received paymentthe merchant may provide the digital goods item as an e-mail attachmentor may provide the purchaser with a secure link where the purchaser candownload the item.

SUMMARY

According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a userhaving an account with a financial service provider (FSP) may senddigital goods purchased by the user to another user who may also have anaccount with the FSP or may be provided with an FSP account loginidentification for receiving the digital goods. For example, when a userbuys digital goods (e.g., a song) using her FSP account, the user may beprovided an option to save the digital goods to the user's FSP accountin such a way that copyright protection and other digital goods rightsare maintained. Sending and receiving digital goods within or betweencountries may be allowed in accordance with the rules (e.g., copyrightor digital rights management) for each country. For example, once thedigital goods are sent to another user the digital goods may be removedfrom the purchasing user's account by the FSP. In an alternativeexample, the digital goods could be downloaded to the user's account,and once downloaded locally the digital goods would not be allowed to besent to others. In another alternative example, a pre-paid link may beprovided to the recipient for downloading by the recipient directly fromthe digital goods seller. In another alternative example, a user buysdigital goods using an FSP account and the user would like to sendinformation about the digital goods (e.g., a merchant website link) toanother user without paying for the digital goods. The service mayprovide the ability to send the link to any number of users so that anyreceiving user, if interested, can create an account with the FSP (ifthe receiving user did not already have one) and buy the digital goodsdirectly from the merchant website.

In one or more embodiments, a system includes: a processor forcommunication over a network with a buyer and a seller, the processorexecuting a process that provides an intermediary between the buyer andthe seller in which: a payment is made to the seller for an item ofdigital goods via the intermediary from the buyer; and a delivery ismade from the seller for the item of digital goods via the intermediaryfor disposal by the buyer.

In another embodiment, a method includes: communicating via a computernetwork with a buyer and a seller so as to provide an intermediarybetween the buyer and the seller; making a payment, by a processor, viathe intermediary from the buyer to the seller for an item of digitalgoods; and making a delivery from the seller for the item of digitalgoods via the intermediary for disposal by the buyer.

In a further embodiment, a computer program product comprises a computerreadable medium having computer readable and executable code forinstructing a processor to perform a method that includes: communicatingvia a computer network with a buyer and a seller so as to provide anintermediary between the buyer and the seller; making a payment via theintermediary from the buyer to the seller for an item of digital goods;and making a delivery from the seller for the item of digital goods viathe intermediary for disposal by the buyer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a system diagram illustrating a system for digital goodscommerce in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram illustrating one or more digital goodstransactions in a system for digital goods commerce in accordance withan embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for sending and receivingdigital goods in a system for digital goods commerce in accordance withan embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems forimplementing a service that facilitates purchases of digital goods inwhich the purchaser has an option to receive the purchased goods for himor herself or to send the purchased goods on to another person, e.g., asa gift or as a purchase made on another's behalf. The need for such aservice may arise in a situation where a purchaser has bought an item ofdigital goods—for example, using an online payment service such asprovided by PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif.—but then finds that it maybe difficult to share or transfer the purchased goods due to copyrightprotection or digital rights management (DRM) protection of the digitalgoods. Using a digital goods sending and receiving service according toone embodiment a purchaser may send digital goods to another (or to himor herself)—after payment to the seller via the service provider—in sucha way that copyright protection and other digital goods rights aremaintained.

Embodiments of the digital goods sending and receiving service, as wellas the online payment service, may be provided by a financial serviceprovider (FSP)—such as PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif.—in which a userof the service may have an account with the FSP (referred to as an “FSPaccount). In one or more embodiments, various mechanisms may be providedfor sending digital goods including, for example, using the sender's FSPaccount and a sender's digital goods “locker” provided by the FSP, usinga receiver's digital goods locker provided by the FSP, using email, orproviding for the receiver to receive the digital goods directly fromthe seller.

Embodiments of the digital goods sending and receiving service mayoperate in accordance with various revenue models that may provide, forexample, income or increased business volume to the service provider(e.g., the FSP). For example, a nominal fee may be charged for eachtransaction, or transactions may be provided free of charge with theincentive of opening a new FSP account for a new user.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 for digital goods commerce according toone embodiment. A buyer 102 (also referred to as a user of FSP services)may communicate via a device 104 (e.g., a computer, cell phone, pad, orother consumer electronic device) with FSP 120 via a network 106, suchas the Internet. Buyer 102 may also communicate via network 106 with aseller 108. Seller 108 may sell digital goods through a website and maycommunicate with buyer 102, for example, by operating a server 110(e.g., a computer processor) that presents a website for selling digitalgoods, the server 110 responding to client devices (e.g., device 104) bycommunicating over network 106. Seller 108 may also communicate (forexample, using server 110) with FSP 120 through FSP server 122 overnetwork 106. For example, seller 108 may communicate with FSP 120 in thecourse of various services offered by FSP 120 to seller 108, such aspayment intermediary between customers (e.g., buyer 102) of seller 108and seller 108. Similarly, a recipient 112 may communicate using anelectronic device 114 over network 106 with any of buyer 102, seller108, and FSP 120, each of which also may communicate with recipient 112using network 106 via device 114. FSP server 122 may execute variousapplication programming interfaces (APIs), as shown in FIG. 1, that mayenable various different types of relationships between FSP 120 and thedifferent parties shown in FIG. 1. For example, seller 108 may use anAPI that allows it to offer sale of goods in which customers are allowedto make payment through FSP 120, while buyer 102 may have an accountwith FSP 120, managed by a different API, that allows buyer 102 to usethe FSP 120 for making payments to sellers that allow use of FSP 120 asa payment intermediary.

As shown in FIG. 1, FSP 120 may provide electronic data storage fordigital goods in the form of digital goods lockers 130. There may be anynumber “n” of digital goods lockers as shown in FIG. 1. Ordinarily “n”may be quite large; for example, at least one locker may be provided foreach user or account maintained by FSP 120. Digital goods lockers 130may provide storage for digital goods products sold by digital goodsmerchants, such as seller 108, that is safe in that each seller 108 maybe assured that copyright protections and other protections for thedigital goods, such as digital rights management (DRM) protections, willnot be compromised. For example, access to the lockers by sellers,buyers, and recipients may be strictly managed in a secure way by FSP120 so that access 125 is provided to the digital goods lockers onlythrough FSP 120 and not directly (e.g., no direct access for a buyer orrecipient), as indicated by the representation of access 125 in FIG. 1.For example, when a user (e.g., buyer 102) buys digital goods (e.g., asong) using an FSP account, the user may be provided an option to savethe digital goods to one of the digital goods lockers associated withthe user's FSP account. Then, the digital goods may be sent to any FSPuser using either an email or an FSP login identification (ID). In onealternative, the digital goods may be removed from the sender's lockerand placed in the recipient's locker in the case that both sender andrecipient have FSP accounts.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method 200, according to one embodiment, showing aprocess flow for one or more digital goods transactions involvingsending and receiving digital goods in a system such as system 100 fordigital goods commerce. At step 202, a user of services provided by FSP120, such as buyer 102 who may have an FSP account with FSP 120, may beshopping online, for example, at a website of a digital goods merchant,such as seller 108. The user may decide whether or not to buy aparticular item of digital goods, and if yes, method 200 may continue atstep 206, and if no, method 200 may continue at step 204.

At step 204, FSP 120 may provide a service to the user (e.g., buyer 102)that allows the user to send an information link for the item to arecipient 112 without buying the item. For example, FSP 120 may providea mouse click button that allows the user to easily email theinformation link to the recipient, who may then use the link to visitthe merchant website directly, where the recipient may decide whether ornot to buy the item from the merchant and whether or not to pay usingthe recipient's FSP account or establish an FSP account if the recipientdoes not already have an FSP account.

At step 206, if the user (e.g., buyer 102) decides to buy an item fromthe digital goods merchant website (e.g., seller 108), the FSP 120 mayinterface with the merchant website via server 122, network 106, andmerchant server 110 to provide an interface with the checkout process atthe merchant website so that the buyer 102 can use the FSP as anintermediary to pay for the item, which the buyer may decide to keep orto send on to another person (e.g., recipient 112). In the most generalterms, the recipient 112 may also refer to the buyer 102 so that a buyermay actually send the item to him or herself for whatever reason. If thebuyer 102 has an FSP account, the FSP interface with checkout from themerchant site may allow buyer 102 to pay for the item via the FSP asintermediary, or alternatively, the FSP interface with checkout from themerchant site may allow buyer 102 to establish an FSP account and thenpay for the item via the FSP as intermediary using the newly establishedFSP account.

At step 208, while in the checkout process at the merchant website orwhile interfacing with the FSP as intermediary (or a combination of thetwo) the process flow of method 200 may branch in one or more of severaldirections depending on the buyer decision expressed at step 206. Asshown in FIG. 2, method 200 may continue at step 210 if a local downloadof the digital goods item is appropriate; method 200 may continue atstep 212 if download of the digital goods item to a digital goods lockeris appropriate; and method 200 may continue at step 214 if the use ofprepaid link to the item of digital goods is appropriate.

For example, if buyer 102 has decided to keep the item for herself, thebuyer 102 may be allowed, at step 210, to download the digital goodslocally to her device (e.g., device 104) from the website. The localdownload may be performed in the usual manner that the website (e.g.,seller 108) makes delivery for an item (e.g., in this case a deliveryfor the item may include an actual delivery of the item by the seller'sproviding a download to the buyer) after having been paid for the itemby buyer 102 using FSP 120 as intermediary at step 206.

Alternatively, for example, if buyer 102 has decided to send the item toa recipient (e.g., recipient 112 or the buyer 102 herself), the buyer102 may be allowed, at step 212, to add the digital goods to a digitallocker, such as one of the digital lockers 130, maintained by FSP 120.In one embodiment, the seller 108 may make a delivery for the item byproviding a download of the item to the FSP for adding to a digitalgoods locker 130 (e.g., in this case a delivery for the item may includea delivery of the item by the seller 108 providing a download to the FSPfor safekeeping—such as preserving copyright and other digital rights—ina digital goods locker 130 with later actual delivery, e.g., by FSP 120from a digital goods locker, to a recipient). If, for example, the buyer(e.g., buyer 102) has elected to send the item to herself or to anotherperson as recipient, the item may be placed in a digital goods locker130 associated with the buyer's FSP account. Alternatively, if the buyerhas elected to send the item to another person as recipient (e.g.,recipient 112) and that person has an FSP account with FSP 102, the itemmay be placed in a digital goods locker 130 associated with therecipient's FSP account.

For some types of digital goods, e.g., games, it may be impractical orundesirable to provide a download other than directly to the end user ofthe digital goods. For example, buyer 102 may visit a game website ofseller 108 and look at a game that the buyer wants to send to recipient112. Buyer 102 may pay for the game using FSP 120 as an intermediarybetween buyer 102 and seller 108, as described at steps 202 and 206, butdoes not download the game either locally or to a digital goods locker.Instead, at step 214, the game may remain at the game website and aprepaid link to the game may be provided for the end user, recipient 112(e.g., in this case a delivery for the item may include the seller'sproviding a prepaid link to the recipient end user for later actualdelivery, e.g., download of the item directly to the end user using theprepaid link). In one embodiment, for example, the FSP 120 may enablethe seller 108 to send a link to the end user, recipient 112, byproviding network 106 address information to seller 108. The networkaddress information may, for example, be known from the recipient's FSPaccount or may be provided by buyer 102 to FSP 120 during the paymentprocess. With the use of the prepaid link at step 214, and notdownloading the item locally or to a digital goods locker, the item maybe paid for by the buyer 102, yet stays on the game website of seller108, and recipient 112 may receive the prepaid link so that recipient112 can download the item (e.g., a game in this example) directly fromthe seller 108. FSP 120 may thus avoid holding any digital goods rightsto the item in so far as the item is transferred directly from theseller to the end user, and similarly, FSP 120 also may avoid copyrightissues that arise only between the seller and the end user.

At step 216, FSP 120 may provide services to its users and accountholders who have a digital goods locker associated with their account.For example, a user may be able to login to his or her FSP account andview a list of items that are held in his or her digital goods locker.In accord with, for example, digital goods rights and copyrightrequirements, a user (e.g., buyer 102 or recipient 112) may be permittedaccess to and disposal of items in the user's digital goods locker onlyif authorized.

So, for example, if a user, e.g., either a buyer or recipient, has onecopy of a digital goods item in the user's digital goods locker 130, atstep 218, the user may download the item locally to the user's device(e.g., device 104 for buyer 102, device 114 for recipient 112). The itemis then removed from the user's digital goods locker 130, and the userhas no further access to the item.

Similarly, for example, if a user (e.g., buyer 102) has one copy of adigital goods item in the user's digital goods locker 130, at step 220,the user may transfer the item to another user's (e.g., recipient 112)digital goods locker 130 for disposal by the recipient as the recipientsees fit, the item is then removed from the user's digital goods locker130, and the user has no further access to the item. In this case,disposal by the recipient may include local download or transfer toanother digital goods locker, but once the last copy in a digital goodslocker 130 is disposed of, the recipient may have no further access tothe item. If the desired recipient does not have an FSP account, anoption may be provided to the user wishing to transfer the digital goodsitem to use email, for example, or an FSP account may be set up for therecipient, or a guest account and digital goods locker may be providedfor the recipient.

FIG. 3 illustrates, according to one or more embodiments, a method 300for sending and receiving digital goods in a system for digital goodscommerce such as system 100. At step 302 of method 300 a financialservices provider, such as FSP 120, may operate a digital goods servicefor sending and receiving digital goods in a system for digital goodscommerce, such as method 200 using system 100. The digital goods servicemay be operated in accordance with one or more revenue models so thatthe FSP may receive some benefit, for example, either pecuniary or anindirect benefit such as “good will” value, from operating the service.

At step 304, for example, FSP 120 may charge a nominal fee (e.g., asmall fixed amount that is pre-specified) for each occurrence of buyingand sending an item or multiple items in the same occurrence. As anenticement to use the service a pr-specified initial number, e.g., thefirst five, of occurrences may be offered free of charge. In a variantof the enticement, the service may be offered for an initial period oftime, e.g., the first five months, free of charge. In this model,revenue may be generated by the nominal fee per transaction, and overallrevenue may be increased by the enticement attracting more long term(e.g., a greater number of uses than the number of free initial uses)users than would otherwise occur. In an alternative embodiment, the feeper transaction, for example, may instead be charged as a percentage feebased on the amount of the transaction as opposed to a fixed, nominalfee. In another alternative embodiment, various structures may beapplied to the transaction fee. For example, a user who is more activemay receive a discount on the fee or, conversely, a lower fee may beoffered as an enticement to more frequent use by less active users.

At step 306, for example, the digital goods sending and receivingservice may be offered for free with an expectation of increasing theoverall volume of business for the financial service provider, e.g., FSP120. For example, if a recipient 112 receives an email notification froma buyer 102 that an item of digital goods has been purchased for therecipient and a link for picking up or receiving the digital goods isincluded in the email, the recipient 112 may click on or open the link.The link may take recipient 112 to a website of FSP 120 (e.g., usingserver 122) that may offer the recipient options including: 1) loggingin to an existing FSP account if the recipient already has an FSPaccount; 2) a convenient, easy way to open a new account if therecipient does not already have an FSP account; or 3) logging in to aguest account for receiving the digital goods. It is expected thatoption (2), for example, may increase long term revenue by enlisting newsubscribers or users of the services of FSP 120 so that, even if noimmediate revenue is generated by the instant transaction, there ispotential for the new user to more readily use the services of FSP 120in the future now that the new user has an FSP account already openedup. Similarly, option (3) may attract new users of the services of FSP120 by providing familiarity with the service and generating confidencein their use. Option (1) also may increase the goodwill business valueof FSP 120 by providing an additional convenient service for an existinguser. Thus, at step 306, each of options (1)-(3) may indirectly generaterevenue through future use of services or increased use of services.

In implementation of the various embodiments, embodiments of theinvention may comprise a personal computing device, such as a personalcomputer, laptop, PDA, cellular phone or other personal computing orcommunication devices. The payment provider system may comprise anetwork computing device, such as a server or a plurality of servers,computers, or processors, combined to define a computer system ornetwork to provide the payment services provided by a payment providersystem.

In this regard, a computer system may include a bus or othercommunication mechanism for communicating information, whichinterconnects subsystems and components, such as a processing component(e.g., processor, micro-controller, digital signal processor (DSP),etc.), a system memory component (e.g., RAM), a static storage component(e.g., ROM), a disk drive component (e.g., magnetic or optical), anetwork interface component (e.g., modem or Ethernet card), a displaycomponent (e.g., CRT or LCD), an input component (e.g., keyboard orkeypad), a cursor control component (e.g., mouse or trackball) or anycombination of the preceding. In one embodiment, a disk drive componentmay comprise a database having one or more disk drive components.

The computer system may perform specific operations by processor andexecuting one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained ina system memory component. Such instructions may be read into the systemmemory component from another computer readable medium, such as staticstorage component or disk drive component. In other embodiments,hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination withsoftware instructions to implement the invention.

Logic may be encoded in a computer readable and executable medium, whichmay refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions tothe processor for execution. Such a medium may take many forms,including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, andtransmission media. In one embodiment, the computer readable medium isnon-transitory. In various implementations, non-volatile media includesoptical or magnetic disks, such as disk drive component, volatile mediaincludes dynamic memory, such as system memory component, andtransmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiberoptics, including wires that comprise bus. In one example, transmissionmedia may take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as thosegenerated during radio wave and infrared data communications.

Some common forms of computer readable and executable media include, forexample, floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any othermagnetic medium, CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, papertape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, ROM, EPROM,FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, carrier wave, or anyother medium from which a computer is adapted.

In various embodiments, execution of instruction sequences forpracticing the invention may be performed by a computer system. Invarious other embodiments, a plurality of computer systems coupled bycommunication links (e.g., LAN, WLAN, PTSN, or various other wired orwireless networks) may perform instruction sequences to practice theinvention in coordination with one another.

Modules described herein can be embodied in one or more computerreadable media or be in communication with one or more processors toexecute or process the steps described herein.

A computer system may transmit and receive messages, data, informationand instructions, including one or more programs (i.e., applicationcode) through a communication link and a communication interface.Received program code may be executed by a processor as received orstored in a disk drive component (or some other non-volatile storagecomponent) for execution or both.

Where applicable, various embodiments provided by the present disclosuremay be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations of hardwareand software. Also, where applicable, the various hardware or softwarecomponents set forth herein may be combined into composite componentscomprising software, hardware, or both without departing from the spiritof the present disclosure. Where applicable, the various hardwarecomponents or software components set forth herein may be separated intosub-components comprising software, hardware, or both without departingfrom the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, where applicable,it is contemplated that software components may be implemented ashardware components and vice-versa—for example, a virtual Secure Element(vSE) implementation or a logical hardware implementation.

Software, in accordance with the present disclosure, such as programcode or data, may be stored on one or more computer readable andexecutable media. It is also contemplated that software identifiedherein may be implemented using one or more general purpose or specificpurpose computers or computer systems or both, networked or otherwise.Where applicable, the ordering of various steps described herein may bechanged, combined into composite steps, or separated into sub-steps toprovide features described herein.

The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present inventionto the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. It iscontemplated that various alternate embodiments or modifications to thepresent invention, whether explicitly described or implied herein, arepossible in light of the disclosure. Having thus described variousexample embodiments of the disclosure, persons of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. Thus, the invention islimited only by the claims.

1. A system comprising: a processor for communication over a networkwith a buyer and a seller, the processor executing a process thatprovides an intermediary between the buyer and the seller wherein: aninterface is provided between the seller and the buyer for an item ofdigital goods via the intermediary; and in response to a buyer decisionexpressed via the interface, a delivery that does not compromise digitalrights protections of the item is made from the seller for the item ofdigital goods via the intermediary for disposal by the buyer.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein: a payment is made via the intermediary forthe item; and the delivery via the intermediary for the item includesdownloading the item to a digital goods locker.
 3. The system of claim1, wherein: a payment is made via the intermediary for the item whereina prepaid link to the item is provided; and the delivery via theintermediary for the item includes providing the prepaid link to theitem.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein: a payment is made via theintermediary for the item wherein a prepaid link to the item isprovided; the deliver via the intermediary for the item includesproviding the prepaid link to the item; and the disposal includessending a recipient the prepaid link which enables the recipient todownload the item directly from the seller.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein: the delivery via the intermediary for the item includesproviding an information link for the item; and the disposal includessending a recipient the information link from the seller that providesinformation about the item to the recipient
 6. The system of claim 1,wherein: the delivery via the intermediary for the item includesdownloading the item to a digital goods locker; and the disposalincludes providing the item from the locker to a recipient.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein: the processor charges a nominal fee for thedelivery to either the seller or the buyer, wherein the fee is notcharged for an initial number of deliveries or the fee is not chargedfor an initial period of time.
 8. A computer-implemented methodcomprising: communicating via a computer network with a buyer and aseller so as to provide an intermediary between the buyer and theseller; providing an interface, by a processor, via the intermediaryfrom between the buyer and the seller for an item of digital goods; andin response to a buyer decision expressed via the interface, making adelivery that does not compromise digital rights protections of the itemfrom the seller for the item of digital goods via the intermediary fordisposal by the buyer.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:making a payment via the intermediary for the item; and wherein: makingthe delivery via the intermediary for the item includes downloading theitem to a digital goods locker.
 10. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising: making a payment via the intermediary for the item wherein aprepaid link to the item is provided; and wherein: making the deliveryvia the intermediary for the item includes providing the prepaid link tothe item.
 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising: making apayment via the intermediary for the item wherein a prepaid link to theitem is provided; wherein: making the delivery via the intermediary forthe item includes providing the prepaid link to the item; and thedisposal includes sending a recipient the prepaid link which enables therecipient to download the item directly from the seller.
 12. The methodof claim 8, wherein: making the delivery via the intermediary for theitem includes providing an information link for the item; and thedisposal includes sending a recipient the information link from theseller that provides information about the item to the recipient
 13. Themethod of claim 8, wherein: making the delivery via the intermediary forthe item includes downloading the item to a digital goods locker; andthe disposal includes providing the item from the locker to a recipient.14. The method of claim 8, further comprising: charging a nominal feefor the delivery to either the seller or the buyer, wherein the fee isnot charged for some combination of an initial number of deliveries oran initial period of time.
 15. A computer program product comprising anon-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable andexecutable code for instructing a processor to perform a method, themethod comprising: communicating via a computer network with a buyer anda seller so as to provide an intermediary between the buyer and theseller; providing an interface via the intermediary between the buyerand the seller for an item of digital goods; and in response to a buyerdecision expressed via the interface, making a delivery that does notcompromise digital rights protections of the item from the seller forthe item of digital goods via the intermediary for disposal by thebuyer.
 16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the methodfurther comprises: making a payment via the intermediary for the item;and wherein: making the delivery via the intermediary for the itemincludes downloading the item to a digital goods locker.
 17. Thecomputer program product of claim 15 wherein the method furthercomprises: making a payment via the intermediary for the item wherein aprepaid link to the item is provided; and wherein: making the deliveryvia the intermediary for the item includes providing the prepaid link tothe item.
 18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein themethod further comprises: making a payment via the intermediary for theitem wherein a prepaid link to the item is provided; wherein: making thedelivery via the intermediary for the item includes providing theprepaid link to the item; and the disposal includes sending a recipientthe prepaid link which enables the recipient to download the itemdirectly from the seller.
 19. The computer program product of claim 15wherein making the delivery via the intermediary for the item includesproviding an information link for the item; and the disposal includessending a recipient the information link from the seller that providesinformation about the item to the recipient
 20. The computer programproduct of claim 15 wherein: making the delivery via the intermediaryfor the item includes downloading the item to a digital goods locker;and the disposal includes providing the item from the locker to arecipient.